I have been busily canning stewed tomatoes, marinara sauce and ketchup, but still the harvest basket fills with tomatoes. Roasting fresh tomatoes with garden onions and garlic is an easy way to blow through that late summer harvest. Sauce tomatoes work best, like the delicious San Marzanos. But any old mix of tomatoes will work – just roast a bit longer for slicer tomatoes that

Our Puget Gold apricot tree has been prolific this year! This variety of apricot was developed in Washington and is particularly well-suited for the Pacific Northwest, with our late cool springs. They are self-fertile, meaning you only need one to get fruit. Apricots are a finicky fruit tree that doesn’t grow well in much of the country, so you may have live vicariously through this

Plum chutney is a sweet-and-tangy spread that is perfect for roasted meats, on sandwiches or as a dipping sauce. I made it last year with a box of Italian plums I picked with my friend Brigitte from a local farm. It has to be hands down one of the best chutney combinations I’ve ever had. Any old plum will work for this recipe, but I

Don’t you just love June? I’m planning our evening meals based on garden strolls – picking artichokes here and there, clipping rhubarb and gathering berries. It just feels right to eat what gifts our summer garden is giving us right now. We are in the thick of berry season on our homestead – happy times indeed. The red currants are dripping with ripe berries. The

Our new flock has settled in comfortably to life in our city garden. The older chickens are still separated from the younger ones, but that will soon end as we combine the two flocks into one. The young gals are about four months old now, except for the bantam who was fully grown when we got her. The bantam is officially the most productive layer

One of my favorite breakfasts is a simple soft-boiled egg or two served with thick, crusty buttered bread. Only backyard eggs will fit the bill. The soft-boiled egg leaves no distraction, so the egg itself must be packed with rich flavor. Even organic, free-range eggs from the story just don’t compare. I am always amazed at how many folks don’t know how to properly boil

We snagged a beach house for the weekend with an amazing ocean view to show off the Pacific Northwest to family visiting from out of town. It was near the small coastal town of Cannon Beach in Oregon, a community studded with art galleries, coffeeshops, a brew pub and a great fish market. It just so happens that the market owns their own crabbing boats

My indoor Meyer lemon tree gave me a small harvest this year and the fruit is far too special to make into just any old dish. I decided to make a simple lemon butter to savor every ounce of flavor – unadulterated. The end product is a bright, creamy and versatile spread that shows off the homegrown flavor of my citrus fruit. I used Meyer

This fabulous apple almond tart recipe walked into my life recently a la All Recipes and has become a new favorite. I love it’s rustic appearance and understated sweetness. In a sea of decadent holiday desserts, this one won my heart with it’s restraint. You could use any combination of good cooking apples, although I used half Granny Smith and half Honey Crisp. The color

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Hello homesteader! I'm Renee Wilkinson and this is where I've chronicled my adventures in homesteading since 2007. Here you will find 1,000+posts on modern homestead projects, edible landscape design and the occasional life update. Read More…